Searchers scour the river on Monday. Photo by Craig Baxter.
A private search for 18-year-old Blake Sinclair in and
around the Clutha River will continue today.
Police yesterday concluded the official search for the Clutha
Valley teenager, who fell into the river while kneeboarding
near the Waitahuna River confluence on Saturday afternoon.
The river remained higher and murkier than normal because f
recent heavy rain in the catchment area.
It was expected to return to its usual flow of between
400cumecs and 600cumecs within two weeks.
Yesterday police operated six jet boats on the Clutha River
with searchers aboard.
They looked for signs of the teenager between the Balclutha
Bridge and Waitahuna River confluence, as well as around the
Clutha River mouth and along its Matau and Koau branches.
No sign of Mr Sinclair was found.
Senior Sergeant Richard Whitmore, of Balclutha, said police
would reassess the situation once the river's water clarity
improved, with a view to redeploying members of the national
police dive squad.
rosie.manins@odt.co.nz
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